Clothes-pounder



'(No Model.)

G. A. au y. R, CROOKER. cLoTHBs POWDER.

N0L554,44o. l Patented-Feb.11,189@ l UNTE STATES i Y GEORGE A. CROOKERAND EDVIN R.

VOROOKER, OF CROVLEY, LOUISIANA.

CLOTHES-POUNDER.-

SECFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,440, dated February11, 1896.

Application iiled April l '7, l 8 9 5.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE A. Cnooxnn and EDWIN R.'OROOKER,citizensofthe United States, residing at Crowley, in the parish of Acadia andState of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Clothes-Founder, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of washing appliances which operateby a vertical reciprocatory movement and force the water back and forththrough the clothes in the process of washing; and the object of thesame is to provide a device of this type which will obviate splashing ofthe water to the inconvenience of the operator and the soiling of thefloor, and which will lessen the effort and energy usually required ofthe operator to the efficient working of similar prior machines, andwhich will possess durability and structural features for effecting thewashing in a rapid and efficient manner, and which will obviate rustingand the accumulation of foreign matter, as the parts will be disposedwith special reference to drain themselves of all water and possibleaccumulation.

With these and such other ends in view as may appertain to the specialorganization of the device, the improvement consists of the novelfeatures which hereinafter will be more particularlyset forth andclaimed, and which are shown in the accompanying` drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a central vertical section of a washing-machine embodyingthe essential features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a View similar toFig. l, but taken at right angles thereto. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan Viewof the device, a portion of the body or cone being broken away to showthe manner of securing the ends of the cross-brace.

The body 1 is formed of sheet metal, preferably tin, and is constructedin the form of a cone. The tube 2 projects a short distance beyond theapex of the cone and has its lower end terminating in about a planepassing through the base of the body. This tube is centrally disposedwith respect to the conebody, and its upper-end portion forms a socketto receive the lower end of the operating-handle 3, the latter beinglimited in its inward movement when thrust into the tube by a cross-bar4, which forms a stop. Ventilatingsain No. 546,083. (No model.)

tubes project in opposite directions from the lower-end portion of thetube 2 and connect at their outer ends with the body l. TheseVentilating-tubes serve to brace the tube 2 and strengthen the body l,and at the same time admit air to the interior of the body to obviate atoo great suction when lifting the devicein the efficient working of themachine. These Ventilating-tubes incline downwardly from the tube 2 andcommunicate with the latter a short distance from its lower end. Bygiving the Ventilating-tubes 5 a downward inclination they will drainthemselves of any water and foreign matter, which would otherwise have atendency to remain therein if the said tubes occupied any otherposition.

A cross-brace 6 extends at approximately right angles to theVentilating-tubes 5 and has attachment at its middle point to the lowerend of the tube 2 and at its ends to the sides of the body 1. Thiscross-brace is composed of two similar members 7, which are preferablystrips of tin and which have their end portions soldered or otherwisesecured together, the middle portion being Voppositely curved, so thatunitedly said middle portions will form a socket 8 through which thelower end of the tube 2 extends, the ends of said members 7 beingextended throu gh slits in the sides of the body 1 and bent in oppositedirections and soldered to the said body. This construction is shownmost clearly in Fig. 3. This cross-brace 6 forms a stay for the lowerend of the tube 2 and at the same time strengthens the body l.

A series of air-passages 9 is disposed around the inner side of the bodyand extends from the base thereof to within a short distance of the apexand forms air-chambers to facilitate the washing process and result inlessening the labor of the operator. These air-passages 9 graduallydecrease in capacity from the lower to the upper end and are formed bytapering strips of tin or other sheet metal, which are curved betweentheir edges and placed with their concaved sides against the body 1, towhich they are soldered `or otherwise firmly attached, so as to securetight joints between the edges of the strips and the sides of the body.These air-passages, constructed in the manner set forth, besides servingto increase the operation of the dev ice also IOO serve to strengthenand brace the body, thereby enabling` the parts to be made of lightermaterial than is possible with similar prior constructions and providinga comparatively light device which can be operated without fatiguing,`the user.

Having` thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- Aclothes-pounder comprising an approximately conical-shaped body having acentrally-disposed tube constructed to receive a handle at its upperend, the lower end of the said tube terminating` in about the plane ofthe base of the body, ventilating-tubes communicating at their innerends with the lower end portion of the central tube and incliningdownwardly in opposite directions, and attached at their outer ends tothe body at diametrically-opposite points and opening` therethrough, across-brace disposed at right angles to the ventilating-tubes, andcomposed of similar members which have their end portions securedtogether, and which have the middle portions oppositely curving to forma socket to receive the lower end of the said central tube, theextremities of the said members passing through slits in the sides ofthe body, and bent in opposite directions and attached to said body, andair-passages disposed about the inner sides of the body and extendingfrom the base thereof to within a short distance of the top,substantially in the manner set forth for the purpose described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own We have heretoaflixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE A. CROOKER. ED'YVIN R. CROOKER.

Witnesses:

A. C. LORMAND, V ALsIN VALIER, .l r.

